[WIEF FORUM] ZIK THE NATIONALIST AND LEADER - Chief Mbazulike Amechi(The Boy is Good)

[ochiagha N'Ukpor]

ZIK THE NATIONALIST AND LEADER His Legacies and Lessons To Ndigbo and Nigeria By Chief Mbazulike Amechi "The Boy is Good" (Dara Akunwafor) Since I turned 80 last June, I have necessarily curtailed my long distance travels and some strenuous activities but when the organizers of this occasion contacted me and told me what it was all about, I decided that this has to be an exception. Anything that concerns Zik and the nationalist struggle in Nigeria and the country/s general interest will always fire my energy as long as I have the mental and physical ability. Who is Zik? I want to start with asking and answering the question, “Who Is or Was Zik”. Zik is the popular sobriquet of the person, of a past nationalist and Politician in Nigeria and Africa known as the Rt. Hon. Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Owelle of Onitsha, the first and only non-executive president and commander-in- Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He was born to his Onitsha parents at Zungeru in Niger State on November 16, 1904. His parents were of the Anglican Christian Faith (then known as CMS) but his early pursuit of education at primary and secondary levels led him into taking part in the other Christian denominations of the Catholic, the Presbyterian and the Methodist. He attended the Holy Trinity Catholic School at Onitsha, CMS (Anglican) Central School at Onitsha, Hope Waddel Training Institute (Presbyterian) at Calabar, and Methodist Boys High School in Lagos. Because he was born in the North, educated in the East and the West and could speak Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa and Efik Languages, Zik grew up and saw himself simply as a Nigeria child. We may mark this for Zik’s liberal attitude towards One Nigeria and his consuming passion for the unity of the country. His taking part in congregational prayers and modes of worship in the different Christian dominations also helped to prepare him for an enlightened liberal attitude to religion and human relations. Infact when he assumed the mantle of national leadership, he took time to study the Islamic Q’uran and he could quote the chapters and verses of the Q’uran as Muslim Maitama Sule of Kano can quote the Christian Bible. After his secondary education in Nigeria, Zik found his way to America in quest of the Golden Fleece. After harsh and daunting experiences on Storer College, Pittsburgh, he studied at the Howard and Lincoln Universities where he acquired B.A Degrees in Political Science. Zik’s Return to Nigeria and the Nationalist Struggle Dr. Azikiwe returned to Nigeria in 1935 after a brief spell in Ghana (Then known as Gold Coast). In Nigeria, he quickly surveyed the Position and found that the people lacked education and political consciousness. In order to arouse the political consciousness of the people, he proceeded to set up newspapers. He established the West African Pilot at Lagos, Southern Nigerian Defender at Ibadan, Eastern Nigerian Guardian at Port Harcourt, Nigerian Spokesman at Onitsha, Daily Comet at Lagos (later transferred to Kano to aid nationalist Aminu Kano’s NEPU) and the Eastern Sentinel at Enugu. Each of these newspapers bore an inspiring motto which reflected the Philosophy and mission of the founder. Some of these mottos were: “Show the light and the people will find the way” “That man shall not be a wolf man” “That man’s inhumanity to man shall cease” “That / universal brotherhood shall become a reality” Zik picked youths who had no experience or formal training in journalism and trained them to run the newspapers. Most of them rose to become the great names that one can find printed in letters of gold in the annals of journalism in Nigeria and Africa. They included renowned journalists like Increase Coker, Ebun Adesioye, A.K. Blankson, A.Y.S. Tinubu, Abiodun Aloba, Stephen Iweanya, Herbert Unegbu, M.C.K. Ajuluchukwu, Tony Enahoro, Magaji Danbatta, Za’adu Zungur, Peter Osugo, Babatnde Jose and A.K. Disu. This core of pioneer journalists represented the entire geography of Nigeria and reflected no ethnic or regional boundaries. This is strong evidence that Zik saw Nigeria as one large family and not the hazy contraption of not very friendly tribes and tongues as we have now. It is true that the geographical area called Nigeria is an artificial creation of a British colonial administrator called Fredrick Lugard and the name from a suggestion by his secretary, who later became his wife, that the new “country” thus created should be called “Niger-Area”. But Zik and the early nationalists had the wisdom and foresight to know that there is great benefit in being a big nation and they spared no effort in seeing that the nation remained one and united. No doubt there were isolated instances of understandable healthy rivalry based mainly on regional divide, but they were not anything to compare with the present bitterness and segregation based on tribe cum state, a painful dividend of military incursion into governance in Nigeria. When Zik returned to Nigeria from Gold Coast (now Ghana) there were two political parties; the Nigerian Youth Movement and the Nigerian National Democratic Party. The two parties operated mainly in Lagos, the then capital of Nigeria. Zik first joined the Nigerian Youth Movement but when he found that there was strong tribal sentiment in the party, he resigned his membership and joined the Nigerian National Democratic Party led by the doyen of Nigerian polities and nationalism, Herbert Macaulay. Zik and other nationalists who saw Nigeria beyond the confines of Lagos decided to form a political party that would be truly national. This led to the formation of the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroon’s, NCNC, (Southern Cameroon was then part of Nigeria) like a powerful magnet, the NCNC quickly drew to itself, nationalists who had been babbling or operating in the provinces. This included the powerful women activist of the West, Mrs. Olufunmilayo Ransome-Kuti and Za’adu Zungur from the North. The irrepressible trade union leader, Michael Imoudu joined the NCNC along with other trade unionists like H.P Adebola, Nduka Eze, Patrick Balonwu and others. Herbert Macaulay was elected National President of the party with Zungur as its first National Secretary. The NCNC undertook a nationwide tour of the country to arouse the people’s political consciousness and collect their mandate from the British Government, a Constitution that would prepare the country for self-government and total independence. When Herbert Macaulay who led the country wide tour in spite of his octogenarian age died at the middle of the tour, Zik was unanimously elected National President of the NCNC after the funeral of Pa Macaulay. The old man in his dying bed, had Nigeria and the NCNC foremost in his mind and gave the following exhortations. “Tell the National council of Nigeria and the Cameroon to stop for four days for Herbert Macaulay and then carry on;” “Tell Oged (Ogedengbe, his son) to keep the flag flying” Those who knew Herbert Macaulay in person or who have seen his photographs will observe that he wore long mustache pulled side ways and always dressed in English suit with bow-tie. He used himself, his appearance and mode of dress to illustrate his final exhortation to the then political actors. He enjoined them. “As my mustache and bow-tie are parallel and inseparable, so shall the unity between the North be indestructible Dr. Azikiwe, now as the new leader of the first and truly nation-wide Political Party in the country kept faith with the injunctions of Herbert Macaulay for they were one and the same principles and aspirations. Some years after the formation of the NCNC and now under the leadership of Zik, some concrete and potent obstacles manifested themselves as strong wedges to the immediate achievement of truly united One Nigeria. Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto founded and led a regional political party called the Northern Peoples Congress, NPC, with the slogan and policy of “One North”. Obafemi Awolowo founded another political party called Action Group, AG, with the slogan and policy of “West for Westerners, East for Easterners, North for Northerners, Nigeria for all”. Inspite of this unhappy development, Zik remained undaunted and continued to crusade for One Nigeria. He contested election in Lagos to the then Legislative Council of Nigeria and won. In 1952 internal self-Government for the three Regions of Nigeria, North, East and West was around the corner. Zik led the NCNC to contest election to the Western House of Assembly. Lagos was then part of Western Region and the NCNC won the three Lagos seats with Zik scoring the highest votes. In the rest of the Western Religion, the NCNC won and had an over-all comfortable majority in the Western House of Assembly. According to common parliamentary practice, Zik as leader of the majority party in the house was to become the leader of Government business to transform to Premier when internal self-government would commence in two or three years time. In a swift action overnight, Obafemi Awolowo with his newly formed Action Group, quickly mobilized the Obas of the Yoruba West and told them that there was grave danger in allowing an Igbo man to be the leader of Government Business and later Premier of the Religion. The Obas used threat and intimidation to mount an irresistible pressure on the NCNC elected Members of the House who were of Yoruba origin to decamp at once from NCNC and join Awolowo’s Action Group. So when the House convened, it was a harrowing spectacle to watch a great number of the NCNC Members of the House, get up one by one, and walk across the Mid-floor red Carpet which divided the majority and minority sides of the House. They trooped over to the Acton Group minority sides of the House and in a jiffy the majority had became the minority. On the side that remained loyal to Zik and the NCNC, Dennis Osadebay was dazed and nearly collapsed; Okotie Eboh cried like a baby; Omo- Osagie slumped; Adelabu wanted to slug it out physically but was restrained. The National Executive Committee of the NCNC quickly met and ordered Zik to resign his membership of the Western House of Assembly and return to contest a bye-election in his native Eastern Religion. A member representing Onitsha in the Eastern House of Assembly was prevailed upon to resign and Zik contested the bye-election and won his seat to the Eastern House of Assembly. Before Zik’s arrival to the Eastern House of Assembly, Prof. Eyo Ita had been holding the position of leader of the House and Government Business. The NCNC decided that Prof. Eyo Ita should resign that position and make room for Zik as the National President and Leader of NCNC Party. This was resisted by Eyo Ita and some of his ministerial supporters and clansmen. It caused some internal rift in the party but eventually the decision of the NEC stood and Eyo Ita and some Ministers who supported him to the end were expelled from the party. From 1952 Dr. Azikiwe became the leader of Government Business in the House and later Premier of Eastern Region of Nigeria. He held the premiership position along with National Presidentship of the party until independence in 1960 when he moved up to become the Governor-General and later President of the Federal republic of Nigeria. Indeed, from 1947 when Herbert Macaulay died and Zik became the National President of the NCNC, he was unanimously reelected at every convention until 1960 when he finally withdrew from membership of the party and Dr. M.I. Opara was elected in his place. Apart from leading the NCNC and the national spread of the party, Zik’s opportunity to put his “One Nigeria” philosophy into concrete effect, at governmental level, was during his Premiership of Eastern Region. I will now try and mention some of his actions which could only be taken by some one who sincerely believed in One Nigeria: 1.    As far back as 1947 or thereabout, Zik appointed A.Y.S. Tinubu and later Ebun Adesioye (both Yorubas) as Editors of his Newspapers, Nigerian Spokesman, published in his home town, Onitsha. 2.    In 1956 and 1958, under Zik’s Premiership of Eastern Region, the NCNC sponsored the candidature of Umaru Altine (a Hausa man from Sokoto) as Mayor of Enugu, the capital City of Eastern Region. He won the elections and remained the Mayor all through. 3.    Alhaji Umoru Yushau, the Serkin Hausawa of Onistha was elected on his merit as a member of the Eastern House of Chiefs and he retained that position until the military coup of 1966. 4.    Mr. John Umolu, from Etsakor in Edo State was sponsored by NCNC in Port Harcourt for election into Eastern house Assembly. He won the election and Zik appointed him Parliamentary Secretary to himself, the Premier. A sensitive position requiring total trust. 5.    The PRESENT Oba of Benin rose to the rank of Permanent Secretary in the Civil Service of Eastern Region. 6.    Justice Savage (a Yoruba) was appointed a judge in the Judicial Service of Eastern Region. Let me digress a bit here and mention an incident, which should not be lost to the history of Nigeria. Zik gave youths the inspiration that led to the formation of the Zikist Movement. The movement was a radical wing of the NCNC and was made up mainly of youths who were prepared to go into guerilla warefare and face death if necessary. The older members of the NCNC, particularly the affluent ones among them, were afraid of doing anything that might appear confrontational against the imperial government. In the Zikist Movement, we had nothing like fear. So in 1949 when a British Police Officer ordered the police men under his command to shoot and kill coal miners at Enugu who were on sit-down strike, the incident drew international outrage. Twenty-one miners were mowed down in cold blood while many wounded were rushed to hospitals. Nationalists, both from NCNC and other political parties, for once came together and formed the National Emergency Committee. The British TUC did not show any interest or solidarity with the Nigerian workers but the workers of the Soviet Union promptly offered 21 Scholarships for the children of 21 miners who were killed at Enugu. That was at the time when the international cold war was at its worst and the older politicians or political parties would not take up the scholarship for fear of offending the British government. The Zikist Movement had been proscribed in early1950 but the radical youths would not miss the opportunity. A radical Labour Front was set up in the name of Nigerian National Federation of labour (NNFL). This new labour body set up a special committee under the chairmanship of Nduka Eze to select students for the scholarship. We would not find up to 21 qualified candidates from among the dead miners and therefore threw the doors open to other parts of the country. When it reached the stage of securing passports for the 21 beneficiaries of the scholarship, we hit a brick wall because the colonial government would not hear anything of Nigerian Youths being sent to the Soviet Union or Communist Eastern Europe. Using one of the tactics of the Zikist Movement, we were able to secure the services of a patriotic Corporal Busari who worked as one of the security details to the governor and he simply brought to us 21 passports which bore the signature of the governor, true or false, and our students used the passports to find their ways to Russia and East Germany. They all came back to Nigeria as highly qualified professionals. One of them, a lady was a medical specialist in Ogun State; one of them, Chukwuma Ozoani was a top engineer in the Railway; Dr. Mayirue Kolagbodi an Urhobo from Delta died a few years after he returned. The most prominent among them, perhaps, Dr. Philip Onianwa from Asaba in Delta State who is one of the world’s most renowned Nuclear Scientists. He was hired by the United Nations for many years. I wonder if Nigeria is doing anything to tap his talent. Zik Beyond Nigeria: Dr. Azikiwe while leading the struggle for the freedom of Nigeria, did not lose sight of the needs of our brothers and sisters in East, Central and Southern Africa who were carrying out their own struggle, most of them badly oppressed by white settlers and apartheid policy. The NCNC Political Training School was set up at Yaba in Lagos and apart from our youths who were trained in the school, Zik extended his hand of fellowship to contemporaries like Kaunda, Nyerere, and Banda to send their youths for training. Many of the youths who passed through this school at Yaba were to become Ministers and Leaders in Various field in their countries. I remember such names as Tom Mboya, Odinga Oginga and Sam Nujoma who later became the President of South West Africa. He came to us as leader of his party, South West People’s Organization (SWAPO). Among the teachers in the school may be mentioned, Ogoegbunam Dafe, Chudi Akunyili, Kola Balogun, Mokwugwo Okoye, my humble self and Fred. Mc Ewen. In 1961, the racist government of South Africa and British Intelligence were furiously looking for Nelson Mandela. He was obliged to take refuge in Nigeria, and Zik, the Governor-General, assigned him to live with me at Ikoyi. I was the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Information. Mandela lived with me at No.5 Okotie –Eboh Street, Ikoyi for more than four months. About the fifth month, Mandela soliloquized openly to my hearing, “for how long must I continue in this hide and seek game. I’d better go back to South Africa to give leadership to the people; if they kill me, my death will inspire the other nationalists to continue the struggle until total victory is won”. That was how he decided to return to South Africa where he was shortly arrested and imprisoned for life. How he was aided financially when he was going, I do not know; that was at the level of Zik and Dr. Okpara, who was then the Premier of Eastern Region. Apart from the youths who passed through the NCNC Political School, Zik was concerned with the low level of education in some of these sister African countries and initiated a Special Scholarship Scheme for them in the Eastern Regional Government. Dr. Okpara inherited and expanded it. That is why one would find so many boys and girls from these African countries in the Queens College, Enugu, Government College, Umuahia and Abbot Boys College, Ihiala (then owned by Hon. G.E. Okeke, the Minister of Education). Some of these boys and girls who were caught up by the Biafran war were smuggled home to their counties through Gabon. Opportunity Sacrificed and Opportunity Lost In October this Year, Nigeria will be fifty years old as a sovereign nation. The painful irony of our political history and development is that the people who made the most sacrifice and were in the fore-front of the struggle for independence are the ones who have not benefited or have benefited least from the dividends of freedom. The case of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe is most painful; for on two occasions he was at the door of Headship of the Government of the country he captained its players. He deliberately and patriotically sacrificed one occasion and simply lost the other. He made the personal sacrifice of his right to the Prime Ministership of the country in order that Independence on October 1, 1960 would not be scuttled. In the Constitutional Conferences held in London and Lagos, the British had weaved in a caveat that if any Region of the country expressed opposition or unreadiness for Independence on October 1, the independence would be postponed indefinitely. In the pre-independence election conducted by the British on December 15, 1959 the following results were obtained: NCNC-NEPU Alliance scored a total of 2,595,577 votes to capture 73 seats. The Action Group-UMBC Alliance scored 1,922,364 votes to capture 73 seats. The NPC scored a total of 1,992178 votes to capture 142 seats. It may be said that Awolowo showed bad faith or extra smart politics by offering simultaneously to the NCNC and NPC the option of Prime Ministership in an alliance with the Action Group provided he could be made Minister of Finance. Zik could have accepted Awolowo’s offer and became the Prime Minster, but considering the threat which the NPC had expressed that if the Prime Ministership did not come to the North, they would stop Independence on October 1, 1960, he patriotically sacrificed the opportunity. He said that his primary objective in the nationalist struggle was for Nigeria to be free and independent. Indeed he reflected this in his speech after being sworn is as Governor-General when he said “consumatum est” The second opportunity is the Opportunity to become the Executive President of this country on October 1, 1979. Let me take this opportunity to say what happened or what I know of what happened. In April 1978, Zik sent a message that I should see him at his Nsukka residence. I promptly honoured the invitation, which of course I regarded as a command. At Nsukka, the Owelle told me that he wanted to contest election to become the President of Nigeria in 1979 and wanted to assign me, as his field go-getter and organizer throughout his period as Premier of Eastern Region, to go into the field and prepare the ground for him. We then discussed the modalities and implications and agreed that it was absolutely necessary to win the support of the North in view of their population. I then went to Lagos and discussed with Alhaji Shehu Shagari who had his residence at Victoria Island. Shagari brought in Alhaji Shetima Ali Monguno Chief Sunday Awoniyi into the discussion. After consulting with Zik, I brought in Chief Dennis Osadebay and R.B.K. Okafor from our side. We held series of meetings and agreed that since the North and the East worked harmoniously in peace in the First Republic, it would be desirable for them to collaborate again in the Second Republic. After a rather hard bargaining, we agreed in principle that Zik should be Presidential Candidate with Shagari as his running mat. The North, however, insisted that Zik should run for one term only and hand over the mantle to a Northerner. When I reported this provisional agreement to Zik, he told me that it was the Emirs who held ultimate say in the North and asked how I was sure that the Emirs would not vote the agreement. I went back to Lagos and told Shagari what fear Zik expressed. Shagari assured me that the Emirs were being briefed on our negotiations but in any case he would try and do something concrete. The following week end, Zik told me that the Emir of Zaria came to him and presented to him a gift of four leather-feet stools and four pieces of brochade material as preset from the Sultan of Sokoto with a message that “what his delegates were discussing with our boys were being reported to their committee of six and had their full endorsement”.  Yet further, Zik expressed another fear, and asked me; “what of the Army, how can we be sure that they won’t strike again if an Igboman becomes President”. I went back to Lagos again and told Shagari of my new Leader’s fear. Shagari said “Haba! What’s all these fears; does the man really want to be President?” He said he would answer this in a practical way. He arranged dinner with General Danjuma who was the then Chief of Staff at the Supreme Headquarters. At the dinner, he briefed Danjuma on the discussion and the fear of the Army as expressed by Zik. Danjuma said that what they were looking for was somebody like Zik really, but said that he could not go to Nsukka to assure him for fear of the press spotting him. He said that I should tell Owelle that he (Danjuma) would be addressing the army at the Army Sports holding in Calabar that weekend; that in his speech on that occasion Gen. Danjuma spoke in his vein; I want to use this opportunity to reassure all Nigerians that the military would truly hand over to a democratically elected President on October 1, 1979 but the President-elect must be a father-figure who will truly reunite the country…” Zik got this message and told me that he had got all the assurances he needed. Shagari, who was then the chairman of Peugeot Automobile Nig. Ltd gave me a note with which I took delivery from SCOA Lagos, the first three cars with which Zik’s preliminary campaign was lunched. While these haggling were going on, National Movement had transformed to National Party of Nigeria, NPN while Club 79 had welcome Nigeria Peoples Party, but none had been registered as a political party. I was myself, a leading member of Club 19 or NPP, Infact the old Anambra branch was formed in my house at Ukpor. Our proposal was to fuse the two associations into one political party, to be named Nigerian Peoples National Party and these fusion was to the effected during Zik’s next birthday. When I brought this merger proposal to my own NPP, a powerful group from the Middle Belt (Benue/Plateau) led by Paul Unongo nearly attacked me physically, saying that they would never belong to the same party with the far-North. Shortly after, I left for UK to inspect machines being assembled for my Kaolin processing factory and to dash to Ireland to brief Dr. M.I. Okpara then in exile about final arrangements for his return, a political opportunist took advantage of my absence from the East and the country to convince Zik to sponsor him as Governor in the NPP and that with his name and popularity he could win as President. Somehow the Owelle bought this stunt and issued a one-sentence press statement; canceling “all arrangements made for my birthday”. Igwe Ezenwa of Oba heard this statement on the radio and raced to my residence to ask what was happening. I rushed to Nsukka to find out but was stopped at Zik’s gate with the message that the Owelle was not feeling well and his Doctor said he must not be disturbed. Dennis Osadebay from Asaba rushed to Nsukka but was not allowed access and on his way back he had the accident that left him paralyzed. Mojeed Agbaje from Ibadan rushed to Nsukka to see the Owelle but was blocked and on his way had a ghastly motor accident between Ore and Ondo and died along with four other political timbers from the West. My last desperate effort to warn the Owelle that some opportunist merely wanted to use him for selfish end was when I went to the NPP convention at Apapa and Bobo Nwosisi and one thug from Enugu state who later made a traditional ruler, used hemp-smoking thugs to stop me from entering the field. I finally had audience with Zik at his Nsukka residence on November 21, 1978 where I candidly advised him that having mismanaged the chance to become President, it would, in my opinion, be better for him not to contest than to contest and lose with all his honour and glorious role in the nationalism and politics of Nigeria. He told me that apart from the assurances given to him by Unongo/Jim/Mbakwe group, he could honestly not belong to a party with Chief Akinloye as National Chairman (remembering what Akinloye did to him in the Western House of Assembly in 1952). I may be wrong but I consider this an opportunity missed. After these painful experiences, I went into month-long retreat and meditation and finally joined the NPN which had then nominated Shehu Shagari as its Presidential Candidate. This was on December 26, 1978 and I was immediately co-opted into the Presidential Campaign Team. I toured the whole North with the team and as we rounded up in Kwara State, Shagari the Presidential Candidate and Akinloye the National Chairman of the NPN invited me to a private suite at Kwara State Hotel on January 13, 1979 and informed me that I had been chosen as Presidential Running Mate to Shagari and the announcement would be made when we got down to Lagos the next day. I thanked them for the hounor but told them that even though I was in an opposing party to Zik’s I would never contest any election in opposition to Zik. I must mention here that years after, Zik told me that I should not have declined the offer, that it would have been better for me to cut the tail of an animal he missed killing. NDIGBO In Post- Zik Nigeria Please forgive me if I have bored you or taken too much of your time, but I find it inescapable to say a word or two to Ndigbo in the way we are today. Ndigbo are like a group of talented dancers who studiously and painstakingly learnt a dance and after intensive practices and rehearsing, premiered the dance only to stand aside to watch others take over the dance and enjoy its dividends. Fifty years ago, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe and other nationalists gave Nigeria sovereign status and opportunity to develop into a great nation. Fifty years after, Nigeria has not developed beyond the level that dividends of democracy are still shared among those that are in power or the corridors of power. Therefore in order to have a share of the cake, Ndigbo must find a way to get into power or effectively in the corridors of power. To do this, Ndigbo must get into a true conclave and map out an unselfish, realistic programme and strategy, devoid of individual selfish interest. Today, I hear some Igbos talk of zoning and rotation of presidency. Good; but if the Presidency must be zoned and rotated, whose turn is it in equity and justice come 2011? The true position of zoning or rotation is that the North has ruled Nigeria at the highest level for a total of 38 years, 6 months between Tafawa Balewa, Gowon, Murtala Muhamned, Shagari, Buhari , Babangida, Abacha, Abubakar and Yar’Adua. The West has ruled for 12 years 3 months between Obasanjo and Shonekan; the South-East for six months under Ironsi and South-South from February 2010 to date by Jonathan. Therefore true rotation in equity and justice dictates that rotation should now stop at the door of the South- East or South-South. And these two cheated zones should work out a basis and modus for co-operation and collaboration. That is as far as we can go with government. But apart from that, Ndigbo should really begin to think home. Igbo investment in real properties outside Igboland is enormous. The capital we invest in trading and other areas of business outside Igboland is staggering. Can we not do what Nnewi did after the civil war? They decided that any Nnewi man who would go outside the town for any business must first of all establish a branch at home. Severe sanctions were to be imposed on any body who broke the law. Today Nnewi is transforming into Dubai and China pit together. To regain our lost position in politics and business, Ndigbo must learn to think less of ME and think more of US. I take this opportunity to request Ohanaeze Ndigbo to arrange appropriate funeral for all Igbo sons and daughter who were killed in the program of 1966-67; their souls are sorrowing because they were killed because they were Igbos; they died our death. A Monument should be erected in their memory where w shall lay wreath as occasion demands and not at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier who killed them. Ndigbo kwaanu umunne unu!! Finally, ladies and gentlemen, let say it for the first time to a public gathering. Dr. the Rt. Hon. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Zik of Africa, the Owelle of Onitsha at exactly 5a.m. some six hours before he breathed his last, gave to me a ONE FOOT LONG KEY, made of Pure Solid Gold. I fully understood the message of the key and I hold it dear and close to my chest. Thank you. May 11 2010 Lagos Resource Center Victoria Island Alex Ike Okeke Akaekpuchionwa N'Ukpor Tel: 443-845-0452

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